Four year old girl died after sexual assault; Two year old girl raped and murdered; Young woman killed by father, who she alleged raped her; Ten year old girl pregnant by father; Old lady raped in front of disabled husband; Old woman raped in front of relatives; Disabled girl raped; Murdered woman found by son; Baby killed by young man; Remnants of dead woman killed by husband found; Woman under protection order murdered by husband; Young university student sodomised, raped and murdered; Young medical student killed wife; Man killed daughter before killing wife.

All of the above are neither titles of Agatha Christie crime novels nor headlines from newspapers in South Africa but the everyday turmoil of women and children. This is the reality in paradise island Mauritius. Above are only a few of those who were murdered. The list is indeed too long for a country with only 1.2 million population.

We organise workshops and we launch activities for women and children; we organise marches and carnivals against gender violence BUT we are not seeing a reduction in sexual violence and the molestation of children.

We must find new ways of dealing with all these atrocious crimes. We need to look at prevention and ensure that those who are trapped in cycles of abuse and those who are survivors of violence are able to protect themselves.

Each time there is a problem school children have to bear the brunt with more subjects in the curricula. The latest being sexual education. Talking about the birds and the bees is one thing but talking about sex is another. So what kind of sexual education are they getting?

Mauritius has signed and ratified CEDAW, the Beijing Plan of Action, Millennium Development Goals, the SADC Declaration on Gender and Development. Is putting ink to paper enough?

Violence against women and children is reaching epidemic proportions in Mauritius. There is no vaccine to prevent it; there is no ‘cure’ for its effects. Girls and women are dying from violence, and its long-term emotional, psychological and physical effects are profound and far-reaching.

Why not turn the 16 days campaign against gender violence into a 365 campaign involving all stakeholders? The 16 days campaign, observed world wide, has been given considerable impetus in the SADC region through the adoption by SADC Heads of State in 1998 of the Addendum on the Prevention and Eradication of Violence Against Women and Children.

Each year the campaign has extended its reach and impact. Questions must now be raised about how to sustain it throughout the year. A National Action Plan to End Gender Violence is a vehicle that will bring together government, NGOs, survivors of violence and stakeholders, as a way of creating a coordinated approach to dealing with gender violence. The plan will break new ground. It will demonstrate how the SADC Addendum on the Prevention and Eradication of Violence Against Women and Children can be used as a mechanism to ensure that effective action is taken by all sectors and how these sectors can hold each other accountable. The plan would also demonstrate how, through cooperative governance, Mauritius can overcome the daily violation of the rights of over 52% of the population.

In the names of all those who were raped, sodomised and murdered something must be done urgently. We must walk the talk and alone we will never succeed. All government clusters including municipal and district councils, faith based organisation, artists, sports communities, NGOs and the private sector must come together. Time is against us.

The Mauritian Chapter of Gender and Media Southern Africa (GEMSA) Network, Media Watch Organisation, is working with its partner Gender Links and local partners to initiate a National Action Plan.

The spirit of Vanessa, Sandya, Nadine, Pinky, Neetrwatee, Soonita, Juanita, Jennia and all the others will be the motivating force of the National Action Plan in the hope that no one else has to pay such a price.

<B>Loga VIRAHSAWMY</B> <I>Chair, Media Watch Organisation-GEMSA</I>